Chapter VII.

The likeness of Christ to the Father is asserted on the
authority of St. Paul, the prophets, and the Gospel, and especially in
reliance upon the creation of man in God’s image.

48. The Apostle
saith that Christ is the image of the Father—for he calls Him the
image of the invisible God, the first-begotten of all creation.
First-begotten, mark you, not first-created, in order that He may be
believed to be both begotten, in virtue of His nature,17611761i. e., of
His Sonship. St. Ambrose refers to Col. i. 15. and first in virtue of His
eternity. In another place also the Apostle has declared that God
made the Son “heir of all things, by Whom also He made the
worlds, Who is the brightness of His glory, and the express image of
His substance.”17621762Heb. i. 2. The
Apostle calls Christ the image of the Father, and Arius says that He is
unlike the Father. Why, then, is He called an image, if He hath
no likeness? Men will not have their portraits unlike them, and
Arius contends that the Father is unlike the Son, and would have it
that the Father has begotten one unlike Himself, as though unable to
generate His like.

49. The prophets say: “In Thy
light we shall see light;”17631763Ps. xxxvi. 9. and
again: “Wisdom is the brightness of everlasting light, and
the spotless mirror of God’s majesty, the image of His
goodness.”17641764Wis. vii. 26. See what
great names are declared! “Brightness,” because in
the Son the Father’s glory shines clearly: “spotless
mirror,” because the Father is seen in the Son:17651765 Cf. S. John xii. 45. “image of goodness,”
because it is not one body seen reflected in another, but the whole
power [of the Godhead] in the Son. The word “image”
teaches us that there is no difference; “expression,” that
He is the counterpart of the Father’s form; and
“brightness” declares His eternity.17661766 The brightness or
effulgence of a body lasts as long as that body exists; seeing, then,
that the Father is eternal, the Son, Who is His brightness, must be
eternal also (H.). The “image” in truth
is not that of a bodily countenance, not one made up of colours, nor
modelled in wax, but simply derived from God, coming out from the
Father, drawn from the fountainhead.

50. By means of this image the Lord showed
Philip the Father, saying, “Philip, he that sees Me, sees the
Father also. How then dost thou say, Show us the Father?
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in
Me?”17671767 S. John xiv. 9–10. Yes, he
who looks upon the Son sees, in portrait, the Father.17681768 Or “He who
beholds the Father in the Son, beholds Him in a portrait.” Mark what manner of portrait is
spoken of. It is Truth, Righteousness, the Power of God:17691769 Christ the
Truth: S. John xiv. 6.
Righteousness: Jer. xxxiii. 16; xxiii. 6; 1 Cor. i.
30. Power of
God: 1 Cor.
i. 24. not dumb, for it is the Word; not
insensible, for it is Wisdom; not vain and foolish, for it is Power;
not soulless, for it is the Life; not dead, for it is the
Resurrection.17701770 Christ the
Word: S. John i. 1–18. Wisdom:1 Cor. i. 24, 30. Life and
Resurrection: S. John xi. 25.209You see, then, that whilst an image
is spoken of, the meaning is that it is the Father, Whose image the Son
is, seeing that no one can be his own image.

51. More might I set down from the
Son’s testimony; howbeit, lest He perchance appear to have
asserted Himself overmuch, let us enquire of the Father. For the
Father said, “Let us make man in Our image and
likeness.”17711771Gen. i. 26. The
Father saith to the Son “in Our image and likeness,”
and thou sayest that the Son of God is unlike the Father.

52. John saith, “Beloved, we are sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: we know that
if He be revealed, we shall be like Him.”177217722 John iii. 2. O blind madness! O
shameless obstinacy! We are men, and, so far as we may, we shall
be in the likeness of God: dare we deny that the Son is like
God?

53. Therefore the Father hath said:
“Let us make man in Our image and likeness.” At the
beginning of the universe itself, as I read, the Father and the Son
existed, and I see one creation. I hear Him that
speaketh.17731773 The Father. I
acknowledge Him that doeth:17741774 The Son. but it
is of one image, one likeness, that I read. This likeness belongs
not to diversity but to unity. What, therefore, thou claimest for
thyself, thou takest from the Son of God, seeing, indeed, that thou
canst not be in the image of God, save by help of the image of
God.